Vehicular driver monitoring system using breath sensor

Abstract

A vehicular driver monitoring system includes a pneumographic sensor disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture sensor data indicative of breathing of a driver of the vehicle. The pneumographic sensor measures an aspect associated with breathing of the driver. A control includes electronic circuitry and associated software, with the electronic circuitry including a data processor operable to process sensor data captured by the pneumographic sensor. The control, responsive to processing of sensor data captured by the pneumographic sensor, monitors the driver based on the measured aspect associated with the breathing of the driver.

1 . A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising:
 a pneumographic sensor disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture sensor data measuring an aspect associated with breathing of a driver of the vehicle;   a control comprising electronic circuitry and associated software, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a processor operable to process sensor data captured by the pneumographic sensor and provided to the control; and   wherein the control, responsive to processing by the processor of sensor data captured by the pneumographic sensor, monitors the driver based on the measured aspect associated with the breathing of the driver.   
     
     
         2 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the pneumographic sensor is integrated into a seatbelt of the vehicle. 
     
     
         3 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the pneumographic sensor comprises an impedance based pneumography sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 3 , wherein the impedance based pneumography sensor comprises a textile impedance based pneumography sensor. 
     
     
         5 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the pneumographic sensor is operable to measure a breathing rate of the driver. 
     
     
         6 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 5 , wherein the pneumographic sensor is operable to measure an electrical impedance of the driver's thorax. 
     
     
         7 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the pneumographic sensor comprises a sensing electrode disposed at the driver's thorax or abdomen and a reference electrode disposed at the driver's thorax or abdomen, and wherein the reference electrode transmits a signal through the driver's thorax or abdomen, and wherein the sensing electrode receives the transmitted signal through the driver's thorax or abdomen. 
     
     
         8 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein an amount of contact of the pneumographic sensor with the driver changes based on the driver's breathing. 
     
     
         9 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 8 , wherein the amount of contact of the pneumographic sensor with the driver increases when the driver inhales, and wherein the amount of contact of the pneumographic sensor with the driver decreases when the driver exhales. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 9 , wherein the pneumographic sensor comprises an impedance based pneumography sensor, and wherein the impedance measured by the pneumographic sensor changes is based on the amount of contact of the pneumographic sensor with the driver. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor wirelessly communicates the processed sensor data to a tracking device. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor wirelessly communicates with the tracking device via a BLUETOOTH communication link. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 11 , wherein the tracking device wirelessly communicates the processed sensor data to a remote server. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the control, responsive to processing by the processor of sensor data captured by the pneumographic sensor, determines inattention of the driver based on the measured aspect associated with the breathing of the driver. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 1 , wherein the control, responsive to processing by the processor of sensor data captured by the pneumographic sensor, determines fatigue of the driver based on the measured aspect associated with the breathing of the driver. 
     
     
         16 . A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising:
 a textile impedance based pneumography sensor disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture sensor data measuring a breathing rate of a driver of the vehicle;   a control comprising electronic circuitry and associated software, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a processor operable to process sensor data captured by the textile impedance based pneumography sensor and provided to the control; and   wherein the control, responsive to processing by the processor of sensor data captured by the textile impedance based pneumography sensor, monitors the driver based on the measured breathing rate of the driver to determine at least one selected from the group consisting of (i) driver attentiveness and (ii) driver drowsiness.   
     
     
         17 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 16 , wherein the textile impedance based pneumography sensor comprises a sensing electrode disposed at the driver's thorax or abdomen and a reference electrode disposed at the driver's thorax or abdomen, and wherein the reference electrode transmits a signal through the driver's thorax or abdomen, and wherein the sensing electrode receives the transmitted signal through the driver's thorax or abdomen. 
     
     
         18 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 16 , wherein an amount of contact of the textile impedance based pneumography sensor with the driver changes based on the driver's breathing. 
     
     
         19 . A vehicular driver monitoring system, the vehicular driver monitoring system comprising:
 a textile impedance based pneumography sensor disposed in a cabin of a vehicle and operable to capture sensor data measuring an aspect associated with breathing of a driver of the vehicle;   wherein the textile impedance based pneumography sensor comprises a sensing electrode disposed at the driver's thorax or abdomen and a reference electrode disposed at the driver's thorax or abdomen, and wherein the reference electrode transmits a signal through the driver's thorax or abdomen, and wherein the sensing electrode receives the transmitted signal through the driver's thorax or abdomen   a control comprising electronic circuitry and associated software, wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a processor operable to process sensor data captured by the textile impedance based pneumography sensor and provided to the control; and   wherein the control, responsive to processing by the processor of sensor data captured by the textile impedance based pneumography sensor, monitors the driver based on the measured aspect associated with breathing of the driver of the vehicle.   
     
     
         20 . The vehicular driver monitoring system of  claim 19 , wherein an amount of contact of the textile impedance based pneumography sensor with the driver increases when the driver inhales, and wherein the amount of contact of the textile impedance based pneumography sensor with the driver decreases when the driver exhales.